


Comfort

by Catsarecutebutaliens



Category: Iron Man (Movies), Marvel, Marvel Cinematic Universe
Genre: Angst, Anxiety Attacks, Comfort, Emotional Hurt/Comfort, F/M, Hugging, Hurt Tony Stark, Hurt/Comfort, I Don't Even Know, Is it PTSD related?, It's Tony Stark for gods sake, Kissing, Panic Attack, Pepper Potts is an angel, Pepperony - Freeform, Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder - PTSD, Protective Pepper Potts, Tony Stark Has Issues, Tony Stark Needs a Hug, and confused, but well
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-06-03
Updated: 2018-06-03
Packaged: 2019-05-17 20:41:53
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 858
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/14838824
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Catsarecutebutaliens/pseuds/Catsarecutebutaliens
Summary: Tony Stark needs a hug.





	Comfort

Tony Stark had thought about kissing Pepper more than he would ever admit to anyone, not even to her. During the months of captivity, it had been one of the few thoughts to keep him sane, to keep him working on getting out of that hellhole.

As he walked out of the aircraft, body hurting just as much as his mind, he saw her and oh god, did he want to kiss her. It had taken him every inch of self-control to not touch her, to just stand in front of her, looking into her red but happy eyes instead of throwing his arms around her to hold her like the precious thing she was. 

Days and weeks went by and except for the incident involving Pepper's hands in his chest, no skin contact was established. Everything seemed to be going back to normal but he didn't want normal, he wanted her, more than anything. He knew she wasn't an object to possess but rather a privilege to experience, her love being the most exclusive and best thing out of all the good. 

So when he saw her in that absolutely amazing dress, which he had apparently bought, every spark of control left his body and he gave into touching her for the first time in what seemed like forever. Maybe it was the first time, not that he would remember anyway since his mind went blank the second he could feel soft skin under his fingertips. 

They danced for a short time and talked, but he wouldn't have been able to recall that conversation to save his life. Too distracting was her face and her hair and her smell, the feeling of real, soft skin under his fingers, the knowledge of her touching him simply because she wanted to. Somehow they got onto the roof, standing closer than ever, hands on each other. Bliss was running through his veins, pure bliss, and happiness, any coherent thought impossible. Tony hadn't even noticed her leaning in until it was too late, until their lips finally, finally, met in a shy kiss. And, oh, was kissing her good. He allowed himself a few seconds of feeling alive before the panic kicked in, making him tumble back against the stone.

A hand went up to touch his burning lips, the other went through his hair, again and again, and what the hell just happened.  
"Tony?" Pepper's soft voice came through to him, making him snap out of his whirling mind for a few moments. There she was, just inches away from him again, a look of hurt and insecurity in her eyes he never wanted to see again. It wasn't until she took his hands that he noticed he was trembling, his whole body seemed to be malfunctioning.

"I- I, I don't- Please I-," his voice was shaking just as much as his body, making his words just as incoherent as his thoughts. What was he even trying to say? Touch, right, Afghanistan, loneliness, pain, oh so much pain and why, why, was that all rushing back now? Now that he finally had what he had been craving for so long. Pepper came closer, laying a hand on his shoulder, now looking worried. 

"Tony, please, you are scaring me." Her voice sounded as angelic as always, full of feelings. Feelings for him? 

"What is it? Can I- How can I help you?" Help. Did he need help? Maybe. Suddenly he could hear Jarvis voice in his ear, sounding just as worried as the woman in front of him but being the voice of reason nonetheless. 

"Sir, I believe you are having a panic attack. Your heart rate is too high and it seems you are about to pass out." More confusion, not helpful at all. Why, why was he freaking out like this? It had been just a kiss, a simple kiss and oh she would hate him, the one thing he was definitely sure about. Not that he could expect her to stay with a broken man like him and- oh. 

Her arms pulled him closer, hugging him with so much force trembling didn't even seem possible. He couldn't remember his last hug. The voice in his ear told him he was calming down, at least that was what his heart rate told Jarvis.

"It's okay, Tony, don't worry." There was another voice in his ear, a feminine and well-known one he would always recognize. His body seemed to listen since only a few moments later the fog on his mind lifted away. Oxygen got into his anxiety-ridden brain and his body slowly but surely calmed down. Now that he could think again embarrassment washed over him (a panic attack, what was he thinking to let that happen?), making him want to pull away and run; to his own surprise, he didn't. 

Instead, he laid his head on her shoulder and finally hugged her back with just as much need for comfort as gratitude for her existence, holding onto her like the rock she was.

"I'm sorry," he managed to whisper, voice quiet and hoarse. She simply pulled him closer.

**Author's Note:**

> I hope you liked it. Please be so kind to leave some love, constructive criticism is welcome.


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